One of the most intriguing aspects of the Copa del Rey is when European giants such as Real Madrid are drawn to play on the road at lower-league clubs.
That is the case this season as Los Blancos will play at Segunda Division side Albacete Balompie, who drew Madrid in the competition's Round of 16.
The RFEF, the Spanish football federation, has specified that any La Liga club drawn against a lower-league side prior to the semifinals must play on the road, giving the smaller clubs a chance to host these major institutions at their home ground.
AllSportsPeople details Real Madrid's latest Copa del Rey opponents, who boast a certain world-class player as part of their club's storied history.
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Who are Albacete Balompie?
Established in 1939, Albacete Balompie Sociedad Anonima Deportiva are a Spanish football team currently playing in the Segunda Division (second tier) as of their meeting with Real Madrid in the 2025/26 Copa del Rey.
The club was initially founded as Sociedad Deportiva Albacete Football Association, but this was changed in 1941 when Spain forced all clubs to conform to a Castilian naming system, removing words like "Football" or "Athletic" from their titles (some of the affected clubs, such as Athletic Club, have since returned to their initial names after the imposing regime was dissolved).
Albacete is owned by Skyline International, an investment firm managing luxury properties, with Venezuelan businessman Georges Kabchi as president. Skyline, and subsequently Kabchi, have been in this position since 2017.
The club's best-ever finish in league play saw them end up seventh in La Liga in 1991/92, their first-ever season in the top flight of Spanish football. Their coach at the time, Benito Floro, would go on to be hired at Real Madrid for a short stint.
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Where is Albacete?
Albacete is located in the Spanish region of Castilla-La Mancha.
It is just under a three-hour drive to the southeast of Madrid, or about a two-hour drive to the west of Valencia.
The city of Albacete contains a population of about 175,000 people, making it the largest municipality of the region.
The earliest known settlement of the area was named Al-Basit by the Arabic settlement, which translates to "The Flat" in reference to the horizontality, due to its location on an endorheic basin that retains water and floods often in heavy rain.
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Did Andres Iniesta play for Albacete?
Andres Iniesta was born in Fuentealbilla, Spain, which is about 45 minutes northeast of downtown Albacete.
He grew up playing mostly futsal due to the lack of full-sized pitches in his hometown, and began playing for Albacete Balompie at the age of 11. When he was 12, he was discovered by scouts of larger clubs, and eventually joined Barcelona's La Masia academy in 1996.
Thus, Iniesta never played for Albacete, but it was where his career truly started, and he has never forgotten his roots.
In 2011 and 2013, he invested sums totalling €660,000 to help the club pay off debts. Albacete's training centre, which includes the reserve-team stadium, is named Andres Iniesta Sports City in his honour. There is also a statue to commemorate his winning goal in the 2010 World Cup final for Spain.
🆕 Inauguración de la estatua de Andrés Iniesta en las inmediaciones del Estadio Carlos Belmonte en Albacete
— Mundo Deportivo (@mundodeportivo) June 3, 2024
📲 @loreabakero pic.twitter.com/4Phbll5BY5
Albacete stadium name, capacity
Albacete Balompie's stadium is known as Estadio Carlos Belmonte.
Built in 1960 to replace an aging predecessor, Campo del Parque, the ground was named for its architect, who was also the mayor of Albacete at the time.
Initially holding 10,000 spectators at the time of its construction, it has undergone multiple renovations to increase its size and capabilities, the latest being in 1998 to the present-day capacity of 17,500.
The Spanish national team have played five games, including four World Cup qualifiers, at Estadio Carlos Belmonte, the latest being in 2013. They did not concede a single goal in those five games at the Albacete ground.
Albacete trophies won
The biggest trophy Albacete Balompie have won in the club's history came in 1991 when they topped the Segunda Division to win the league title.
They have also won the fourth-tier title eight times, the latest coming in 1982.
Albacete have played in La Liga in seven seasons across two different stints, the first coming between 1991 and 1996 when they spent five years in the Spanish top flight. They were promoted again in 2003 and spent two seasons in the first tier before relegation.